It seems so hard to gauge how often firearm owners actually use their guns in self defense. I've never used my gun in self defense. If anyone has, and the story is not to personal or painful to relate, please share it, whether you fired your weapon, verbally threatened the use of a gun, or brandished the weapon.
Have you ever used your sidearm in self defense?
- Thread starter cowssurf
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Titan6
member
Piece of what?
Winchester 73
member
Yes.Twice since 1985.Never fired.Verbally threatened and brandished against potential attackers in both incidents.
Sorry for the plagiarism Titan6!
Closest I ever came was in the parking lot of a large mall near 9PM. 2 guys came towards me as I was walking up on my car. At about 20 yards away they seperated from each other in what appeared to be an attempted flanking maneuver.
It was summer and I was wearing an Hawiian type shirt. Lifted it up over my holstered gun, undid the safety and watched the two guys do a 180 and clear the lot.
I hopped in my car and drove away. No I didn't call the cops. What good would it have done?
It was summer and I was wearing an Hawiian type shirt. Lifted it up over my holstered gun, undid the safety and watched the two guys do a 180 and clear the lot.
I hopped in my car and drove away. No I didn't call the cops. What good would it have done?
siglite
Member
I've drawn twice. Both more than 10 years ago. Both times the attacker changed his mind before getting shot. Fairfax PD has reports on both events.
R127
Member
Gun? Yes. Only needed to be displayed. Other weapon pre-cwl? Yes. Uglier situations. What's the point you're trying to get to? Some people live in safer than average environments others live in more dangerous than average environments but bad stuff can happen anywhere. Even at church. And the government and all its men cannot ensure your safety. So carry, hope you never have to use it but be ready in case you do.
'Bout 10 years ago, I chased a stranger out of my backyard. Had a pistol in right hand pressed flat against my thigh, don't think he ever saw it.
Been in a few 'sketchy' situations where firearm was good to have, but the other guy backed-down before it was drawn or needed. I definitely feel that some of these were de-escalated because the other person saw my 'ready' body posture and decided to go away.
Been in a few 'sketchy' situations where firearm was good to have, but the other guy backed-down before it was drawn or needed. I definitely feel that some of these were de-escalated because the other person saw my 'ready' body posture and decided to go away.
cambeul41
Member
Message deleted.
Last edited:
axeman_g
Member
cambeu.... you dont have to respond to a thread you dont like the content of, the topic or the wording.
It is an unfortunate choice of words but not one to act like your going to start a fist fight over. Check you sig and then maybe rethink your response.
It is an unfortunate choice of words but not one to act like your going to start a fist fight over. Check you sig and then maybe rethink your response.
Elm Creek Smith
Member
Yes. About a quarter century ago. A mall parking lot at night during Christmas with my wife and (then) small children. Knife vs. S&W. I took damage but walked away under my own power. The police didn't even take my revolver. BTW, I only heard "pops" from a 3 inch .357 Magnum but the muzzle flashes were like strobes.
In the dreams that wake me up, I can't seem to find my gun.
ECS
In the dreams that wake me up, I can't seem to find my gun.
ECS
jenrob
Member
When I was around 14 or 15yrs. old my mom and I were woke by something that sounded like howling.
The landlords boyfriend was beating her.
My mom all of 5' 2" decided to go down and make sure she was alright.
I grabbed my 22 rifle and out the door behind her.
She knocked on the door and asked if everything was alright. He insisted it was and mom insisted she talk to the landlord.
Boyfriend slammed the screen door open to find the end of that 22 about 10-15 feet away. I was standing out on the side walk but there was no way he was going to lay a hand on me ma. without eating a couple pieces of lead.
I held a bead on him til the cops showed up and told me to take it back home.
Now I'm afraid that if it was to happen again nowdays the cops wouldn't just tell me to take it on back home.
The landlords boyfriend was beating her.
My mom all of 5' 2" decided to go down and make sure she was alright.
I grabbed my 22 rifle and out the door behind her.
She knocked on the door and asked if everything was alright. He insisted it was and mom insisted she talk to the landlord.
Boyfriend slammed the screen door open to find the end of that 22 about 10-15 feet away. I was standing out on the side walk but there was no way he was going to lay a hand on me ma. without eating a couple pieces of lead.
I held a bead on him til the cops showed up and told me to take it back home.
Now I'm afraid that if it was to happen again nowdays the cops wouldn't just tell me to take it on back home.
cambeul,
Relax. What are you, the king of England? I never said you talk that way. I talk that way. And why is it so offensive? And how in the world can it be interpreted as talking down? That's bizarre. Do rich people or intelligent people look down on poor people or stupid people and say, "Look at this new piece I bought." Piece is a slang term. Otherwise thought of as famiiar or colloquial. As such, I would say it's more of a peer to peer term, and not by any means a classist term. I didn't mean to offend anyone by using it. I like westerns a lot. When they call a gun a "smokewagon" or a "shooting iron." I certainly don't think of it as offensive. Can I call a football a pigskin? Can I call my car my ride? Can I call my house my pad? If I do these things, am I talking down to anyone. And why did you click on a thread who's title you found so supercilious to the point of being offensive. Furthermore, why did you answer me and then ask so indignantly why you should answer me? Loosen up. Relax. Have fun. Take your piece to the range and bust a cap in that silhouette. Tadow!
Relax. What are you, the king of England? I never said you talk that way. I talk that way. And why is it so offensive? And how in the world can it be interpreted as talking down? That's bizarre. Do rich people or intelligent people look down on poor people or stupid people and say, "Look at this new piece I bought." Piece is a slang term. Otherwise thought of as famiiar or colloquial. As such, I would say it's more of a peer to peer term, and not by any means a classist term. I didn't mean to offend anyone by using it. I like westerns a lot. When they call a gun a "smokewagon" or a "shooting iron." I certainly don't think of it as offensive. Can I call a football a pigskin? Can I call my car my ride? Can I call my house my pad? If I do these things, am I talking down to anyone. And why did you click on a thread who's title you found so supercilious to the point of being offensive. Furthermore, why did you answer me and then ask so indignantly why you should answer me? Loosen up. Relax. Have fun. Take your piece to the range and bust a cap in that silhouette. Tadow!
guntotinguy
Member
I have had to pull out of the holster twice in the last 4 months...didnt have to fire,but it sure came close the last time around.The last time was (oddly enough) outside the gun range...during the day time I was approached by 3 non-english speaking men who seemed to have some malice in mind.
I tried to warn them..they didnt understand that I was armed and willing to use the .45 until my shouting at them turned into a 'pull'.Yes they ran quickly enough...good thing for them and me!
To my knowledge of talking with a few LEO's that also so to the same range,this type of occurance is becoming much more commonplace than ever before.
I tried to warn them..they didnt understand that I was armed and willing to use the .45 until my shouting at them turned into a 'pull'.Yes they ran quickly enough...good thing for them and me!
To my knowledge of talking with a few LEO's that also so to the same range,this type of occurance is becoming much more commonplace than ever before.
Flash!
Member
a few years ago I heard a disturbance outside my house after midnight. A pickup was parked at the neighbors house across the street. A couple males in their late teens to early 20's were standing outside the truck yelling and throwing beer bottles down the street. I went out into my front yard where I could see the license plate number. Wrote down the number and started back into my house to call the police. Suddenly another man came running out from the neighbors front door running directly at and yelling at me that he "was going to f**k my a** up" I pulled my gun and it was amazing how fast he came to a stop. I told him to leave immediately because I was calling the police. He left and I immediately went inside and reported the incident to police....providing his license plate number.
rainbowbob
Member
That's the nightmare we are all trying to avoid, isn't it?
monkeykevin
Member
Almost 10min ago 2hr into my BORING birthday morning researching for a bicycle at 1:50am right after getting home from work I hear my garage open because the opener doesn't work and its unlock. Hearing the garage open I grabbed my G23 darted down the stair QUIETLY to the laundry room where the garage is connected and slowly opened the first door with my barrel pointing horizontally down range and suddenly the second door in front of me leading to the garage opens before me was my mom BF who just came back from Arizona with my barrel pointed at him....:banghead:
Any how I didn't even have my trigger finger on the trigger but to the side of the frame, general safety practice in my opinion. I would of gone BANG BANG BANG if it was someone else in the middle of the night or EARLY morning. Didn't know he was coming, and its pretty damn late for anybody to make some rucces this early.
Any how I didn't even have my trigger finger on the trigger but to the side of the frame, general safety practice in my opinion. I would of gone BANG BANG BANG if it was someone else in the middle of the night or EARLY morning. Didn't know he was coming, and its pretty damn late for anybody to make some rucces this early.
Deanimator
Member
In '84, I used an HK93 to drive a guy off who was trying to run a friend and me off of the interstate, probably as part of a carjacking. He was unpleasantly surprised to find a rifle pointing at him through the windshield. He remembered important business elsewhere.
foreveryoung001
Member
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Closest I ever came was just before Christmas last year. Sitting last in the fast food drive through line at 3am on my way home from work. Two guys who are obviously to drunk to drive, walk up to the speaker behind me, demanding that they be allowed to order. I didn't like the way they were acting, the vulgar way they were talking to the girl taking the orders, and something about two guys walking through a drive through just felt weird. So, I unholstered and placed it under my thigh so it sort of looked like I was trying to keep my hand warm by sitting on it.
These guys kept acting obnoxious, yelling at everyone in line, throwing snowballs at the cars ahead of me, stuff like that...
I get to the window, start to hand the girl my money, when one of these clowns makes a quick move toward my window. I was ready to engage right there, and tell him to back away(insert expletive), but he ended up slipping on the ice and falling between my car and the building.
I got my change & food and drove away as his buddy was helping him up. I'm sure the guy was just trying to mess with me, but when I saw him lunging at my exposed arm, holding a $50 bill, and the way the were acting, really freaked me out.
These guys kept acting obnoxious, yelling at everyone in line, throwing snowballs at the cars ahead of me, stuff like that...
I get to the window, start to hand the girl my money, when one of these clowns makes a quick move toward my window. I was ready to engage right there, and tell him to back away(insert expletive), but he ended up slipping on the ice and falling between my car and the building.
I got my change & food and drove away as his buddy was helping him up. I'm sure the guy was just trying to mess with me, but when I saw him lunging at my exposed arm, holding a $50 bill, and the way the were acting, really freaked me out.
Since the age of 15 (I'm 36 now) I have had to Five times.
1. Age 15. Prevented my sister from being raped in our front lawn of my parents' rural home. I held the two men until the poice came with an AR-15.
2. Age 16. Halted an abusive boyfriend from beating my sister during an arguement. After warning him not to strike my sister again and to leave, I was threatened to "butt out" and he continued. I stopped him with a Ruger Security Six .357 magnum and waited for the polilce. Interestingly enough, this was at a gas station where he saw my sister and I getting gas. Several adult witnesses did nothing and watched a young girl get beat. It fell to a 135 pound kid to do something.
3. Age 30. Stopped in traffic when I was living in Orlando, FL. A "punk" kid decided that he didn't appreciate me "looking" in his direction while stopped at a light. I had the radio on and ignored him. When I finally saw that he was screaming at me, I turned down the radio to see what he wanted. After realizing his problem, I rolled the window back up, looked off and ignored him. He got out of his car and started beating on my window. I still couldn't drive off due to the cars in front of me and the light still being red. After realizing he was about to break out my window with his fists, I began to roll it down. He reached in and grabbed me by the throat. As he is doing this, I raised my Glock 19 in my far hand and aimed it across my body at his head. I didn't have to say anything. He screamed and jumped in the passenger window of the girl he was with's car. She sped off and ran the red light-- almost causing a major wreck. I waited at a gas station across the street for the LEO's to arrive-- I figured witnesses had called 911, and I was right. After taking statements from me and the other witnesses, I was free to go.
4. Age 34. While staying at our hunting and fishing camp for a couple weeks, I heard something out by our pier on the river. Upon dressing and going down, I was able to determine that a boat had pulled up to the pier and was attempting to cut the chains that secured my father's boat. I shouted a warning to reveal themselves. I got no response. When I stated that I was armed, the boat sped off. Turns out that they had released and was letting the current carry them downstream before turning on their motor.
5. Age 35. Trespasser on deep in our wooded lands on our private roads. The person was evasive when approached and would not address me or identify himself. In the dim conditions, I could not see any details. After repeating my request to identify himself, he got out of the car and began making long, fairly rapid strides towards me. I requested that he remain where he was and not to come any closer. This was ignored. I repeated my request that he not come any closer to me. When this too was ignored, I allowed the AK underfolder that I had slung over my shoulder but behind me to fall into a position where I could aim and fire if I had to. This halted his advance and he became very forthcoming with indentification. Turns out this was a drunk 22 year old who was taking a date somewhere to be "alone." I let him go with a stern warning not to trespass on our land again and to NEVER ignore a guy telling him not to come any closer again. For anyone who wonders why I was insistent that he not come within arm's reach of me, my father had a friend who was killed by a strike from a trailer hitch cupped in an assailent's palm in EXACTLY the same situation.
At any rate, that's where I am. I don't put any of that up for debate. I am comfortable with my actions based upon the situations and with my actions with the law. Its very easy to "armchair quarterback" situations when you aren't in them. Some will believe they would do similar or dramatically different. I hope you never find out.
-- John
1. Age 15. Prevented my sister from being raped in our front lawn of my parents' rural home. I held the two men until the poice came with an AR-15.
2. Age 16. Halted an abusive boyfriend from beating my sister during an arguement. After warning him not to strike my sister again and to leave, I was threatened to "butt out" and he continued. I stopped him with a Ruger Security Six .357 magnum and waited for the polilce. Interestingly enough, this was at a gas station where he saw my sister and I getting gas. Several adult witnesses did nothing and watched a young girl get beat. It fell to a 135 pound kid to do something.
3. Age 30. Stopped in traffic when I was living in Orlando, FL. A "punk" kid decided that he didn't appreciate me "looking" in his direction while stopped at a light. I had the radio on and ignored him. When I finally saw that he was screaming at me, I turned down the radio to see what he wanted. After realizing his problem, I rolled the window back up, looked off and ignored him. He got out of his car and started beating on my window. I still couldn't drive off due to the cars in front of me and the light still being red. After realizing he was about to break out my window with his fists, I began to roll it down. He reached in and grabbed me by the throat. As he is doing this, I raised my Glock 19 in my far hand and aimed it across my body at his head. I didn't have to say anything. He screamed and jumped in the passenger window of the girl he was with's car. She sped off and ran the red light-- almost causing a major wreck. I waited at a gas station across the street for the LEO's to arrive-- I figured witnesses had called 911, and I was right. After taking statements from me and the other witnesses, I was free to go.
4. Age 34. While staying at our hunting and fishing camp for a couple weeks, I heard something out by our pier on the river. Upon dressing and going down, I was able to determine that a boat had pulled up to the pier and was attempting to cut the chains that secured my father's boat. I shouted a warning to reveal themselves. I got no response. When I stated that I was armed, the boat sped off. Turns out that they had released and was letting the current carry them downstream before turning on their motor.
5. Age 35. Trespasser on deep in our wooded lands on our private roads. The person was evasive when approached and would not address me or identify himself. In the dim conditions, I could not see any details. After repeating my request to identify himself, he got out of the car and began making long, fairly rapid strides towards me. I requested that he remain where he was and not to come any closer. This was ignored. I repeated my request that he not come any closer to me. When this too was ignored, I allowed the AK underfolder that I had slung over my shoulder but behind me to fall into a position where I could aim and fire if I had to. This halted his advance and he became very forthcoming with indentification. Turns out this was a drunk 22 year old who was taking a date somewhere to be "alone." I let him go with a stern warning not to trespass on our land again and to NEVER ignore a guy telling him not to come any closer again. For anyone who wonders why I was insistent that he not come within arm's reach of me, my father had a friend who was killed by a strike from a trailer hitch cupped in an assailent's palm in EXACTLY the same situation.
At any rate, that's where I am. I don't put any of that up for debate. I am comfortable with my actions based upon the situations and with my actions with the law. Its very easy to "armchair quarterback" situations when you aren't in them. Some will believe they would do similar or dramatically different. I hope you never find out.
-- John
doc2rn
Member
Once after I got out of the military in '00 a poacher was on our land. I low crawled up the dry creek bed, and popped up behind him with a pistol and a buck blackhawk. He dropped his rifle and I called the sherriff. My land is clearly marked no trespassing, so he was hauled off and his weapon seized.
The other time I was working grave yard shift and went to the Larry's choak n puke to get some grindage. While sitting in my car I see a group of 6 guys that look like football players emerge from the hotel next door. I slid my weapon out and put it between the seats and locked the door. The biggest guy comes running over and pounds on the glass saying that aint gonna stop him. I produce my right hand with Glock and he jumps back. One guy busts a headlight, and the store manager has already called local LEO. LEO calls for back-up and doesnt get out of his car. So I exited my vehicle, shouted FREEZE, and they all stopped their mad dash to the hotel and surrendered to the LEO. LEO tried to write me a ticket for brandishing, when I said I wanted to prosecute the youth for damaging my property. Good thing I had just gotten my CCW 3 weeks earlier.
The other time I was working grave yard shift and went to the Larry's choak n puke to get some grindage. While sitting in my car I see a group of 6 guys that look like football players emerge from the hotel next door. I slid my weapon out and put it between the seats and locked the door. The biggest guy comes running over and pounds on the glass saying that aint gonna stop him. I produce my right hand with Glock and he jumps back. One guy busts a headlight, and the store manager has already called local LEO. LEO calls for back-up and doesnt get out of his car. So I exited my vehicle, shouted FREEZE, and they all stopped their mad dash to the hotel and surrendered to the LEO. LEO tried to write me a ticket for brandishing, when I said I wanted to prosecute the youth for damaging my property. Good thing I had just gotten my CCW 3 weeks earlier.
"No I didn't call the cops. What good would it have done?"
get it on record with the local PD. NCVS and UCR surveys might sway more funding towards a department that needs more patrol at night if that kind of thing happens frequently.
get it on record with the local PD. NCVS and UCR surveys might sway more funding towards a department that needs more patrol at night if that kind of thing happens frequently.
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